Nick Clegg retaliated by opposing the reform of electoral boundaries cherished by the Tories. The reform would have reduced the number of MPs to 600 and ensured a more equal representation in Britain. According to experts, the reform would likely have cost the Liberal Democrats most. “The proposed change to constituency boundaries were intended to correct a strong bias in the electoral system in favour of the Labour Party”, wrote the Economist on August 11th. The reform was therefore deemed indispensable to the Tories’ political future.